UHP Investigates Shooting Incident

The Utah Highway Patrol is investigating a Feb. 28 incident on U.S. Highway 191 which resulted in the death of one individual.

On Tuesday at approximately 5:30 p.m., a sheriff's deputy reportedly pulled over an unidentified man driving a Ford Explorer in Duchesne near 300 East and Main Street.

A UHP spokesperson said the initial reason for the Duchesne County deputy stopping the man was that the plates on the vehicle were reported to have been stolen. At that time, it was unclear whether the vehicle was stolen, according to UHP investigators.

The deputy reportedly made contact with the driver of the vehicle and began to converse with him.

Shortly thereafter, the driver of the Explorer drove away from the officer.

The deputy followed the driver to Highway 191, where reports indicate that the driver headed south toward Price.

As the chase left Duchesne and headed south on the highway, weather conditions turned from rain in the city to snow through the Indian Canyon area.

During the chase, vehicle speeds purportedly averaged 70 miles per hour.

Near milepost 267 on highway 191, the driver of the Explorer reportedly lost control of the vehicle and spun off the road. The man then allegedly left the vehicle and began charging toward the deputy while firing shots.

While tactically retreating behind a vehicle, the deputy reportedly fired back at the subject.

Information from the UHP indicates that the subject purportedly entered the deputy's truck and attempted to flee the scene.

However, the suspect reportedly made a U-turn and crashed the vehicle into the mountain adjacent to the highway.

By this time, three other sheriff deputies and two Roosevelt city officers had joined the chase and were on the scene.

The preliminary incident reports indicate that the man allegedly started firing at the law enforcement officers.

All four deputies and one Roosevelt police officer reportedly fired back at the man, killing suspect.

All six officers have been placed on administrative leave, an action customary during the investigative process that follows a shooting of this kind. No officers were hurt. The incident is under investigation by UHP.

At press time, law enforcement had not released the name of the man reportedly killed in the incident. However, officials indicated that the man was not a Utah resident. The spokesperson for UHP reported that the agency has learned that the vehicle the man was driving was reportedly stolen and that the man had allegedly violated his parole conditions.